now that summer is officially here + it’s hot hot hot, it’s hard to get motivated to cook. i mean, i love cooking + baking, but when it’s a zillion degrees out, turning on the oven is not the first thing that i want to do. what i do love when it’s toasty out? easy fresh, crisp summer salads, loaded with lots of flavor. so when we went to a family cookout last week + were asked to bring a side that pairs well with grilled burgers + bratwursts, i knew i wanted to make this salad that i’ve had bookmarked.
so, how was it? delicious! the crisp cucumber pairs wonderfully with the sweet tomatoes, the salty feta, the bright mint + the flavorful kalamata olives. for me, it’s the perfect combination of everything – flavors, textures, + even colors. this is the type of salad that i can eat an insane amount of, at any time of day. what can i say? i’m a sucker for fresh veggies + cheese!
cucumber, tomato + feta salad
makes 8 servings, adapted from bon appetit
ingredients
6 cups coarsely chopped English hothouse or Persian cucumbers (about 2 pounds total)
2 large tomatoes (about 1 pound total), coarsely chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 cup assorted pitted olives (such as Kalamata or Gaeta), halved
1 7-ounce package feta, crumbled, divided
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
kosher salt + freshly ground black pepperdirections
combine cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, olives, half of feta, + mint in a large bowl. whisk oil + lemon juice in a small bowl – pour over salad + toss to coat. season to taste with salt + pepper. sprinkle remaining half of feta over salad + serve.
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{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a classic summer recipe — love it!
i have very little motivation to cook or bake in this heat. our dinners have been very similar to this kind of salad lately. love this combo!
YUM! I’ve been obsessed with Cucumber lately, and it goes perfect with some feta and olives!
I want to make this for my art class!
Oh yum! This combo is my favorite – one I could easily eat on its own with a spoon. Which is why I don’t make it at home often, since I can’t share the blame with The Husband who hates olives + feta. Boo.
Might have to suck it up though thanks to the abundance of cucumbers + tomatoes from the CSA!
my husband isn’t wild about olives or feta either, so i only make stuff like this when i can share it with a group. next time i make it, i’ll know to share some with you! =)
I’m with you–I pretty much have zero motivation for cooking/baking right now. It’s way too hot! But I could definitely go for this crisp, cool salad–I love feta and cucumbers, especially, and paired with mint and lemon juice?!? YUM!
yes! i love a cold salad like this on a hot summer’s day. this sounds and looks beautiful!
Totally in love with all the freshness in this salad!
ohh i love the sound of this salad! It looks so refreshing and tasty! Also I always love it when there’s crunchy cucumber in my salad!! So colourful and pretty! <3
I couldn’t agree more, the last thing I want to do after a long hot day is turn on the oven. I, too, love summer salads like these. It looks so fresh and colorful. It’s a perfect side for a BBQ, love it!
This is such a wonderful combination of summer flavours and colours, looks gorgeous!
I love how summery this salad is 😀
Beautiful!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Beautiful salad and wonderful use of summer produce. Olives and feta are just bonuses.
Greek-inspired salads like this are my absolute FAVORITE! …and I could use some veggies with all of the ice cream I’ve been eating
I make a similar salad but I never thought of adding the olives – I bet this was great!
this looks beautiful! even though i’m not a big olive lover
This looks so fresh and summery … Happy Weekend
LOVE this, so fresh and light. Perfect for summer.
So colorful and fresh! I love it!!!
(If you’re interested, feel free to enter it in our TomatoLove Recipe Exchange – http://gimmesomeoven.com/stuffed-caprese-bites-kitchenaid-7-quart-stand-mixer-giveaway/)
This is such a nice summer salad… great in place of traditional pasta and potato salads that require some cooking!
I love summer salads like this one too
You really can’t beat a cucumber and tomato salad. It’s even good without the feta.
This could easily be my favorite Summer salad, Amy! Love cucumber and feta combo! Yum
I’m not an olive fan but they sure do make a dish look pretty! I’ve been on a big Greek salad kick lately…can’t get enough feta!
Summer is the best season when you get to eat fresh produce in the form of salads. look so flavorful and colorful.
This salad looks like the perfect cool down food to beat the heat this summer Amy. I can seriously feel the relaxation from the image. On the list to make when I get home.
Hope you’re enjoying your weekend!
Out of all the ingredients, I like lemon juice. How I hate being picky! It’s really pretty though.
If we go to a picnic or something, I’ll definitely make this and shock everyone by not bringing dessert.
What a gorgeous salad! I could eat any salad as long as it has feta! This sounds exceptionally delicious!
Hope you’re having a good weekend!
This is absolutely my kind of salad too. Veggies and cheese? Yes,please
i’m not usually a fan of cucumbers, but i have a hunch i’d like this, especially while the tomatoes are so nice
Love how colorful this is! It screams summer. I feel like I could eat this as a chunky dip for pita chips. And of course, gobble it all up as a side dish. Feta + olives are two of my favorites.
Me, too! I have to think twice about turning on the oven in the summer! that’s why salads are so practical during this time. And this salad brings me back to Greece! I spent a summer there, and I got to enjoy all the cucumber-tomato-feta salad that I could have!
Beautiful! This looks like exactly like what I want to have for lunch. Perfect summer meal.
I totally feel you on the whole “too hot to cook” issue. I just can’t even imagine it right now. This salad looks lovely and healthy and yummy. Well done! Hope you’re well friend!
What a crazy good and refreshing salad!!!! We live on salads through the hot summer months!!!
This is in my top 5 favorite salads list: it’s just too good!
And so simple! Love how gorgeous you made yours.
What a colorful, delicious and healthy salad!
This looks crazy good! I could live on just this salad, mmmmm!
I wanted to send you an email, but I don’t see one listed here. When you have a minute will you please email me back4secondsblog@gmail.com thanks girlie!
I just emailed you, too, but in case you come back here for the answer, it’s amy@fearlesshomemaker.com =)
I love salads like this! Fresh, easy and delicious!
What a great, refreshing salad for summer. It has been crazy hot everywhere, turning on the oven is just too much!
This is so pretty Amy! I love the colors, and the flavors sound like they’d mesh perfectly!
Amy this looks beautiful! It might not be overly hot here in Seattle, but even when its warm I resist turning on the oven at any cost – this is perfection!